Yesterday at a gas bagging session that was nothing more than an excuse for some of sports power-brokers to have an expensive lunch and hear themselves talk, Channel 9’s boss, David Gyngell, said that Rugby League could not expect to get anywhere near what the AFL got because put simply, the game didn’t have enough ad break’s.
Gyngell, who stresses he loves the game his station has milked for every last cent over the last decade, suggested that half time should be extended and time outs calls in breaks of play so that television stations could insert more adverts.
The idea is that, the more a TV station can charge for adverts, the more they would be willing to pay for the game.
Hey David! Why don’t you take your ideas, turn them sideways, and shove them as far as your arse as you can!
I don’t know about you lot, but when I watch a game of Rugby League on Channel 9, I’m fucking bombarded by advertising!
The pre-game introductions consists of proving there is a football game on somewhere, and then a bunch of adverts. Then as the game kicks off, we get the betting odds shoved down our throats. Thankfully, that only lasts until, you know, the game finishes.
During live games you regularly miss tackles as Channel 9 shows adverts. During their delayed coverage, they pack adverts in like Carl Webb packs away Double Whoppers after a good training session!
The idea that a sport which completely dominates Pay Television, as well as the 1st and 3rd biggest television markets in Australia, needs to change the fabric of the game AGAIN for Channel 9 is ridiculous.
Last time I checked, the AFL doesn’t have three State Of Origin games which rate better than any other television program in the country. They also don’t have test football.
The AFL season finishes on the first weekend of October. The Rugby League season goes through into November with the Four Nations providing at least four games worth of extra coverage every time Australia makes the final (Something they have never failed to do).
The AFL doesn’t have a World Cup!
Rugby League provides world class content from March to November. No other sport in Australia can claim to provide that sort of content for that length of time that rates its arse off.
Channel 9 is determined to keep the Rugby League FTA rights, and they know they will have some tough competition from Channel 7 and Channel 10. At the very least it is expected that Channel 7 will try to drive up the price of the Rugby League TV rights just to force Channel 9 to pay more for them.
While Channel 9 beats its own chest about the quality of their coverage, the fact is that any other stations is more than capable of producing better quality coverage. 66% of Channel 9’s regular season Rugby League coverage isn’t even shown live. This is 2011 and we are supposed to be thankful to watch games on a 1-2 hour delay.
For over a decade, the people in charge of Channel 9 have screwed the game over repeatedly. They have under paid for television rights and forced the game to use a season schedule that has had an effect on the game on and off the field.
Now, with the game finally back on its feet and ready to take a step forward, Channel 9 bosses are again trying to dictate to the game.
I really hope Channel 9 loses the rights to all Rugby League. Like many Rugby League fans, I’ve well and truly had enough of their bullshit.
If David Gyngell is the Rugby League fan, he will shut his mouth, see what the game has to offer his struggling station, and then check the books to see if they can afford it.
If not, I’m sure Mr Stokes and Mr Murdoch will be happy to bury Channel 9 in the ratings every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
